Rotary drum reactor



July 15, 1952 D. E. MILLER ROTARY DRUM REAcToR Original Filed Nov. 18, 1946 INVENoR. I

Patented July 15, 1952 UNITED f Q RTARY DRUM REACTOR t Dariel E. Miller, East Los Angeles, Calif., assignor y to Kelitey Products,'Inc.

, Los Angeles, Calin, a

' 4 corporation.'ofiCaliforniav originati applicati@ November is,V 1946, serial t .No. 710,478; Divided and Athis application De-V cember 31, 1948,'Serial N0. 68,583.

a. claims. (o1. .2s-.286)

This invention relates to an apparatus for making chemical compounds, and refers particularly to anV apparatus for making trisodium phosphate hypochlorite, but it is also useful for the production of other compounds. The appli-` cation is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. '710,478 ledNovernber 18,1946, now issued as Patent No, 2,536,456. Trisodium phosphate hypochlorite has previouslybeen prepared byy crystallizing the compound from solution. The compound has contained trisodium'phosphate (NaaPOl) and .sodiumhypochlorite (NaOCl) and vvaterv in rather ranjndefinite ratio, but the available chlorinecontent vof the compound obtained has usually beenbetw'een 3 and 4% on a Weight basis. Such a product is of considerable value as a germicide and is used, for example, in cleaning dairies,` disinfecting dishes, etc. a

It is a general object of the present'invention .to providevan apparatus for makingsuch trisodium phosphate hypochlorite compound. The apparatus is also useful in the productioneof other products, particularly in .controlling ,the hydration of such products.

I V.have discovered that Whenia solution of sodium hypochlorite is sprayed upon a iinely divided, anhydrousor partially .hydrated trisodium phosphate compound that molecules of sodium hypochlorite become attachedto the trisodium phosphate much in the same manner that Water of hydration becomes attachedto. trisodium phosphate. Accordingly, by sprayingsodium hypochlorite solution on anhydrous or partially hydrated trisodium phosph'ate'material, itis possible to lproduce trisodium phosphate hypochlorite compounds, and thisoperation can be carried on and controlled without allowing the trisodium phosphate compound to pass into the solution state.

The apparatus of the present invention has therefore been designed to provide for the spraying of hypochlorite solution or other material onto a product, such as trisodium phosphate, under conditions to effect such a reaction. The apparatus of the present invention is designed so that a product may be produced by either a batch operation or a continuous operation. Moreover, the apparatus of the present invention is so designed that a solid productis produced from the apparatus, which is derived in the form of a free-running aggregate.

The apparatus of the present invention is effective for producing trisodium phosphate hypochlorite compounds which contain a higher available chlorine contentgth'an'similar products which have heretoforeA been producedby methodsand apparatus now in use.,

The apparatus of the present invention i-ncludes a rotating drum, and means for feeding trisodium phosphatermaterial continuously into one end of the rotating drum and forremoving the product of the operation continuously from the. other end of the drum,V the drum operating to` tumble and agitate the trisodiumphosphate during the operationoffth'e" apparatus. VMeans are provided in the 'apparatus for spraying the solution, such as sodiumfl'iypochlorite-v solution, upon the solid compoundin the drum,'sothat .such solution .may be properlypicked up and incorporated in thatV p rod 1.1ct.l Since the reaction occurringis an exothermic reaction, meansare provided to remove'this developed heat during thel operationv of the. apparatus. lForA such purpose, Athe apparatusincludes' means for1 blowing air through the material; f vThe apparatus ofthe. present invention, together With various further objects and advantages of the invention,.will bejmore fully understood from the following description ofthe preferred form of the'inventiomywhich description is given in connection With the accompanying drawings, in which p I Figure 1V is an elevation.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section, taken substantially on the line 2 -2of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a similar section taken on `the line 3-3ofFig1- Figure l is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, I indicates a hopper for holding the supply of dehydrated or. partially hydratedl trisodium phosphate. Preferably the material is in a finely divided state'capable of passing through a mesh screen and mostly through a 200 mesh screen. From the hopper l the material is fed continuously by a feeding device, diagrammatically indicated at 2, into the end of the rotating drum 3. The drum 3 is preferably provided with fins 4 for the purpose of assisting in the tumbling of the trisodium phosphate material as the drum rotates. The drum vis preferably positioned on a slight slant towards a discharge conveyor 5 which receives the product and delivers it onto the screen 6.

The rotary drum 3 may be mounted in any suitable manner, such as by rolls 8 engaging the tracks 9 for rotation about its axis and may be driven by a gear l0 which in turn engages the gear l I driven by a reduction member I2 and by a motor I4.

such as indicated at 2I, by means of which the sodium hypochlorite solution is sprayed uponthe trsodium phosphate material in the drum.

Within the drum 3y there is provided a plurality of spray nozzlesL 'Ihe strength of the hypochlorite solution should be adjusted so that` when the trsodium phosphate has been substantially completely hy'- drated it contains about 1 to 5% availablechl rine. Complete hydration corresponds to about 12 molecules of water of hydration andV various strengths of hypochlorite solution may be utilized in thek process, depending upon the extent of hydration of the trsodium phosphate at the start of the process.

The product produced by the process of the present invention is of a somewhat granular, free-runningnature; less than of the material being retained on a 14 mesh screen while substantially al1 of the product is retained on a 100 mesh screen.

An important feature of the apparatus of the present invention is the regulation of the cooling of the material undergoing reaction. Means `are provided for continuously cooling the reacting material. Cooling is generally necessary as in the absence of cooling, the absorption of the hypochlorite orother solution, or the solid maf terial may be inhibited, or the solid material may become melted into one lump. In order to carry out the desired cooling, air` is blown into the drum continuously during theoperation, the air being discharged from the right endv of the drum. At the right end of the drum there is provided the hood 22 having a discharge outlet 23, connected With the fan 24, driven by afmotor 25 through a separator 26 and hence to the outlet 21.

While the particular form of the apparatus herein described `isfvvell adapted for carrying out the objects of the present invention, various modifications and changes maybe made, and this invention includes all such modifications and changes that come within the vscope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for producing a chemical product which comprises a drum, means for revolving the drum, means for feeding a solid material into one end of the drum, means for discharging solid products from the other endk of the drum, a spray device Within the drum for spraying the solution onto material in the drum, and means for cooling the solid material in said drum, said means including an air blower, an air conduit extending Within the drum substantially parallel: to the axisthereof, and a plurality of spaced-apart discharge outlets from said conduit.

2. An apparatus for producing a chemical product which comprises a drum, means for revolving the drum, means for feeding a solid material into one end of the drum. means for discharging solid products from the other end of the drum, a spray device Within the drum for spraying the solution onto material in the drum, and means for cooling the solid material in said drum, said means including a conduit for air leading within the drum substantially parallel to the axis of said drum, said conduit having a longitudinally` extending slot for discharge of air within said drum. A

3. An apparatus for producing a chemical product which comprises a drum, means for revolving the drum, means for feeding a solid material into one end .of the drum, means for discharging solid products from the other end of the drum, a spray device within. the drum for spraying the solution onto material in the drum, and means for cooling the solid material in said drum, said means including a conduit for air leading within the drum substantially parallel to the axis of the drum, said conduit having a longitudinally extending slot for discharge of air within said drum, and means for varying the size of the opening ofsaid slot.

DARIEL E. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED` The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES rATENTs Y 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CHEMICAL PRODUCT WHICH COMPRISES A DRUM, MEANS FOR REVOLVING THE DRUM, MEANS FOR FEEDING A SOLID MATERIAL INTO ONE END OF THE DRUM, MEANS FOR DISCHARGING SOLID PRODUCTS FROM THE OTHER END OF THE DRUM, A SPRAY DEVICE WITHIN THE DRUM FOR SPRAYING THE SOLUTION ONTO MATERIAL IN THE DRUM, AND MEANS FOR COOLING THE SOLID MATERIAL IN SAID DRUM, SAID MEANS INCLUDING AN AIR BLOWER, AN AIR CONDUIT EXTENDING WITHIN THE DRUM SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS THEREOF, ABD A PLURALITY OF SPACED-APART DISCHARGE OUTLETS FROM SAID CONDUIT. 